9 big ideas IT shouldn’t ignore

Too often, big ideas exist in press releases, CEO public statements and marketing campaigns but are not part of the operational agenda

We live in an age filled with big ideas but devoid of any real consensus regarding how to prioritize them. Working with colleagues, I have attempted to systematically think about the big ideas that surround us: what they are, why they matter, the progress being made in adopting them and the obstacles preventing any particular big idea from moving to the next level.

The big idea behind this research is that if we understood the world’s big ideas, we would be able to craft a better future.

The 19th-century French novelist Victor Hugo wrote, “One resists the invasion of armies; one does not resist the invasion of ideas.” But apparently the invasion can be ignored. The first cognitive gut-punch I received in my research was that, in many organizations, the invasion of big ideas appears to have stalled.

Too often, big ideas exist in press releases, CEO public statements and marketing campaigns but are not part of the operational agenda. Why are they, in many instances, divorced from what happens day to day? Why do organizations that spend a lot of time researching and polishing what they say spend so little time making sure that what they say and what they do are synchronized?

Here are nine big ideas that should not be ignored.

Big Idea #1: It’s not about you

Empathy is critically important. IT has to genuinely care about the end user’s experience. If you come up with what you think is a great solution to a user problem that receives a lukewarm reception when you present it to the people who will use it, then it is not a great solution. And you have to listen to the users to learn what would make it great from their perspective. That isn’t easy. William James, one of America’s most important philosophers, understood this and said repeatedly that it is exceptionally difficult to really see things from another’s point of view.

Big Idea #2: The experts aren’t expert

Innovation is often stumbled upon by those too naive to be aware that something can’t be done. Successful managers actively listen to ideas from team members with varying levels of experience. In a constantly changing world, the returns on expertise are finite.

Big Idea #3: You don’t have to know it all

There is too much for any one person to know, so don’t beat yourself up for lapses in your own knowledge. You certainly need to know some things, but the best thing to know is the thought leaders in your space. You need to cultivate relationships with people who know things that you don’t. You are only as good as your network.